Dreamers Who Do

Among the many things that I will remember from my MBA coursework, is this screencast by Steve Blank.  In it, Blank a lean startup evangelist articulates the soul of the entrepreneur: Dreamers who do.

I am not going to wax poetic about the virtues of the self-made business person, or contribute yet another web tribute to its late high priest, Steve Jobs. Terry Gross, the famed NPR interviewer once rated "entrepreneurship" as the most overrated trait.  I don't  agree, but I am conscious that not everyone is cut from this cloth, has the desire  or means to start their own enterprise, and that many are perfectly happy in all manner of other worthy pursuits.  I may be one of these. I intend the entrepreneurship track next year, and I am not completely sure if I will follow that path.

The Ultimate

Whatever your vocation, however, I am struck by the power and simplicity of Blank's adage, and think that much joy and agency can result when  we learn to dream and do.

Recently,  I read an article in Fast Company. Joss Whedon, the prolific director of last summer's blockbuster, the Avengers. In it, Joss gives a couple of insights of doing, but also dreaming.

Next Actions

Rather than scoping out your whole action plan, Whedon recommends going with your next logical actions, making a small specific plan.  This point resonates with me.  Whether living life or doing a project, it seems that the ones that I do, usually follow a logical progression from one small step to the next.  I moved out Oregon almost on a whim, I got involved in sustainability in college mostly to impress a girl, and because I got a free trip to a conference in San Francisco. Little did I know what a shift this would mean for my future.  My mother would agree with Joss, she always tells her kids to "follow the next indicated step"when exploring a life decision. It seems that as a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, it is also completed by millions of subsequent ones.

Eat Dessert First

Joss, who also writes films advises people to engage first with their passion.  Instead of writing things in order, or thinking about the hard stuff, he recommends writing or doing the things that are interesting. Once you've invested your passion in the fun parts, he says, it's easier to do the rest of the necessary grunt work.  This is encouraging for me, as I am often stymied in my ambitious dreams by the arduousness of things that are necessary but boring. I also eat dessert first, so this is an easy one to embrace.

Keep Learning

One thing I appreciate about BGI is its interdisciplinary approach to learning. We catch a broad view of business, and engage in a wide variety of issues. This attracts a wide range of people with a variety of experiences.  One way that I learn well is by interacting with such people. Diverse experiences and viewpoints stimulate my learning, and spark my creativity.  Work is a big part of learning for me too.
A few years ago I was in Australia, and lacking any other options, picked up the business classic "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" While I found much of the author's insights spurious, particularly about real estate as the path to riches ( it was fall of 2008!). But, one thing has stuck with me from that book: Work to Learn.  I have had the opportunity to work with some outstanding people, in areas such as sustainability, farming and green building.  Making the aim primarily about learning has given purpose more than the paycheck.

Finally…

Enlist your Friends

I am consistently surprised by the creative minds that I encounter at BGI. Even more, though, I am inspired by their capacity to get things done and make dreams real. I have a lot of good ideas, and am fairly good at getting things done.  I appreciate the peer pressure at BGI, even if it is not intentional, it makes me want to do more than I do, and to know that there are people that can help me along the way.

So here's to all the fun projects I have been putting off these past 9 months. Thanks to Whedon for the good practices, and to my loyal BGI readers for the inspiration!

"Designed in China"

Zhang Wuyi built a submarine.  The Chinese farmer from the Hubei province in China has designed and hand-built  seven submarines, some that he has sold to local businesses. According to the Rueters, his latest version has a dive depth of 96 feet, and is equipped with vacuum hoses for harvesting sea cucumbers.

I came across an fascinating article in a recent issue of Atlantic Monthly.  It chronicles the burgeoning DIY culture of China, and profiles a number of innovative inventors and some of their projects. A few of these showcased include a homemade helicopter, DIY prosthetic limbs, robots, disaster survival pods and emergency fire escape slides. As a DIY enthusiast, I am fascinated by these inventions. Not only because of their innovative nature, but for the spirit of creativity and independence that they represent.

I don't know about you, but personally I have always been bothered by the label "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China"that is affixed to every Apple product on the market.  It has always seemed to underscore a basic assumption of the past 10 years.  That is, the smart creative minds in Silicon Valley come up with clever ideas and then the Chinese spew forth the consumer products that the developed world demands.  I don't disagree that China is a  powerhouse, it currently produces about 20% of the world's goods, or that Apple products are not marvels of design. However, the idea that China is lacking in innovation is quickly losing ground.

The number of patents offered in China are skyrocketing. In 2012, the China’s State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) granted 1.26 million patents, more than any patent office in the world. Furthermore, Chinese inventors ranked ninth among other nations in US patents offered, and had increased their applications by 41% in the past year. US Patent applications by Chinese inventors have increased more than 1000% in the last decade. Though China, which spends roughly 300 million a year on R&D lags behind the US in this category, its ability to convert R&D money to IP is nearly 4 times that of United States.

To be fair, many are suspicious of Chinese patents, the majority of which are Utility Model or UM varieties, a form that does not exist in the US, and which some claim are inferior to invention patents. Others claim that they are vehicle to steal IP from other countries, and are merely tweaking existing technology. 

There is surely much truth in this accusation, whether or not they lack in quality or originality, the Chinese patents seem to surpass in quantity. It will be interesting to see what this invention trend means for innovation in the long haul. DIY culture, long thought to an indicator of innovation could be a harbinger of China's design future.

  

Biomimicry in Business?

I was reading an article in the Economist the other day. It reported on the creation of unmanned gliders, which, unlike planes, rely on wind currents and thermals to maintain speed and loft. Tactical Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System (TALEUAS), is being developed by the Naval Post Graduate school in Monteray California. TALEUAS relies on a sophisticated software and sensors, which can detect the presence of thermals and pilot the plane to take advantage of the lift. Much like its avian counterparts, it can stay aloft all day drifting from thermal to wind gust.

Bullet train, inspired by Kingfisher's beak

This is a fascinating take on biomimicry, the discipline that looks to nature for engineering and design solutions. Inspired, I came across a number of interesting articles and insights online. Those of you looking for inspiration, are encouraged to consult the website, AskNature.org, which catalogues the strategies that nature employs for a variety of functions. For example,  carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is an drug resistant bacteria that is reaching epidemic levels in hospitals. According to the Center for Disease Control,  it is found in 18% percent of long term acute care facilities, and it kills half of the patients that it infects. CRE and other “superbugs” are becoming more difficult to control because the development of new antibiotics is failing to keep pace with the evolution of these bacteria. Instead of a antibiotic arms race, however, researchers, such as Anthony Brennan, a materials science and engineering professor at the University of Florida, are taking cues from sharks to mitigate the spread of these powerful pathogens. Shark skin has an unusual characteristic in that it does not harbor algae or aquatic bacteria. This is because its rough surface, which paradoxically reduces drag in the water( inspiring the now banned “shark suits” of the 2008 Summer Olympics) also prevents bacteria and algae to attach to its skin. Brennan, who replicated the physical characteristics of the skin on hospital countertops and doorknobs, has reduced bacterial colonization of MRSA virus by 86 percent, e-coli bacteria by 99 percent and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 100 percent after one hour of air exposure. Researchers are hopeful that this strategy can mitigate the effect of CRE.

"Sharkskin" that repels bacteria

These are fascinating examples of using nature as a design primer, and biomimetic principles are also gaining credence as business strategies. Green Biz ran an interesting article about this here.

It is not surprising that nature, with over 3.8 billion years of experience could be a powerful source of insight into design and business solutions. At its core, the principles of the lean startup, with its rapid iterations are not unlike the process of evolution, where nature “pivots” 

towards a better system.

It will be exciting to see what lessons the natural ecosystems have in store for us, and how we can apply insights therein towards creating a more sustainable future.